"Belonging" by Shamshad Khan

Ever wondered how historical artefacts end up in British museums? This poem tackles that uncomfortable question head-on. The speaker addresses a Nigerian pot in Manchester Museum, questioning whether it was stolen, lost, or somehow "slipped" onto a ship bound for England.

The poet uses direct address throughout, speaking to the pot as "you" rather than "it." This creates an intimate, conversational tone that humanises the object. The repetition of "pot" at the end of many lines emphasises how the pot has become defined by what it is, rather than where it belongs.

Anaphora (repeated sentence starters) appears with phrases like "did they say" and "someone somewhere," creating multiple possibilities for how the pot arrived in England. None of these possibilities sound legitimate - they all hint at theft or deception.

The poem's irregular structure with varying line and stanza lengths mirrors the fragmented nature of displaced identity. Just as the pot has been removed from its original context, the poem's form reflects this disruption.

Key Connection: The pot becomes a symbol for anyone who has been forcibly separated from their homeland and culture.